Current lock cylinders and mating keys often wear from repeated use or may be otherwise damaged and need to be replaced. This problem is especially evident in the area of automotive ignitions. A problem arises with replacement of the lock cylinder in an automotive ignition or other similar application when the original key includes other functions such as opening doors, the trunk lid or windows. Furthermore, replacing an automotive ignition key typically requires a specific housing that mates to a specific location. Additionally, the original key maybe digitally coded to other automobile applications or anti-theft systems.
Current lock cylinders that can be rekeyed generally involve disassembly and re-assembly of internal components by a skilled user or are one-time only assemblies with no means to verify additional copies of the original key are functional after a rekeying procedure. Current self-learning locks typically involve the use of a fixture or tool to set the lock elements and those fixtures or tools are difficult to use.
There exists a need for a simplified self-learning lock assembly that reuses the original key when replacing a defective lock cylinder and has a simplified, easier to use learning assembly.